Packaging metal sheets for shipment



Oct. 17, 1950 R. o. HAMMER PACKAGING METAL SHEETS FOR SHIPMENT Filed May 14, 1948 Fig. 2.

Rolf 0. Hammer INVENTOR A TTOR/VEY Patented Oct. 17, 1950 PACKAGING METAL SHEETS FOR SHIPMENT Roll 0. Hammer, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application May 14, 1948, Serial No. 27,088

This invention relates to packaging metal sheets for shipment.

Common practices in packaging metal sheets with which I am familiar comprise encompassing a stack of sheets with crosswise ties, then placing the stack on full length wood skids. and finally encompassing the stack and skids with lengthwise ties that extend underneath the skids lengthwise thereof. Such practices are wasteful of lumber and they necessitate cutting lengths of lumber to the exact length of each stack. making standardization difllcult. Subsequently the consumer has a problem disposing of the scrap lumber. A taut package is diflicult to obtain since the stack and skids do not yield whenthe ties are tensioned. Sealing of the wood skids to prevent moisture from contacting the bottom sheet is unduly costly because of the sze of the skids.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide improved shipping packages of met al sheets and methods of preparing the same that overcome the foregoing disadvantages.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved packages of metal sheets in which the sheets are supported on a plurality of short length wood skids which preferably are of standardized design, thereby conserving lumber and reducing the number of different skid designs needed.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved packages of metal sheets in which the sheets are supported on short length, spaced skids encompassed first by lengthwise ties that extend around the skids and additionally by crosswise ties that extend outside the first ties, intersecting the latter in spaces between skids, so that the ties tension each other and furnish a taut package.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details of structure. a preferred form of which is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an improved shipping package of metal sheets embodying features of the present invention; and

Figure 2 is a, bottom plan view of the package shown in Figure 1.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

There is shown at in a stack of superposedcoextensive metal sheets which are packaged according to the principles of the present inven'ition. The stack is supported on a plurality of short length wood skids I! which preferably are all of a standard design. Each skid has beveled lower end edges l3 and preferably has a shallow longitudinal groove in its underface. If desired,

v 6 Claims. (Cl. 206-) the skids may be impregnated with a material that seals them against escape of moisture, as known in the art. The skids are shown as arranged intwo spaced rows of three spaced skids each, although the number of rows and the number of skids per row may be varied according to the area of the sheets. The end skids of each row are even with the end edges of the stack.

Lengthwise ties l4 encompass the stack and skids lengthwise of the latter. Said ties conveniently may be metal straps or wires; When the underfaces of the skids are grooved, said ties fit within the grooves. The ties are drawn reasonably taut and their ends joined. The ties preferably are aflixed to the underfaces of the skids by suitable fasteners, such as by staples i5.

Crosswise ties l6 encompass the stack outside lengthwise ties H and intersect the latter in the spaces between skids I 2. The crosswise ties are tensioned against the unsupported sections of the lengthwise ties and their ends are joined. Thus the intersecting ties tension each other and furnish a taut package. Preferably cushions I! are interposed beneath the crosswise ties at the edges of the stack in order that these ties do not damage the sheets.

. In preparing a package of sheets according to the present invention, crosswise ties I6 are first laid out on a flat surface. Lengthwise ties l4 and skids l2 are stapled together and laid out above the crosswise ties. The stack of sheets I0 is then placed on the skids over the ties. The ends of the lengthwise ties are joined. Cushions I! are applied between the crosswise ties and the stack. The ends of the crosswise ties are then joined, after being tensioned against the unsupported sections of the lengthwise ties to furnish a taut package.

While for convenience I designate the ties lengthwise" and crosswise," I do not intend these terms to limit the tie arrangement with respect to the longer and shorter dimensions of the sheets. It is plain that when the stack has a shorter dimension of sufllcient length, the lengthwise ties optionally can extend around the stack in the direction of its shorter dimension instead of in the direction of the longer dimension.

It is seen that the short length skids used in the present invention conserve lumber and make standardization possible, as well as furnishing a more taut package than the full length skids heretofore used. Thus I have furnished an improved and simplified package over those preto viously used.

While I have shown and described only a single embodiment of the invention, it is apparent that modifications may arise. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the disclosure set forth but only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shipping package of metal sheets comprising a stack of superposed co-extensive sheets, a plurality of aligned rows of spaced short length skids on which said stack rests, lengthwise ties encompassing said stack and said skids lengthwise of the latter, and crosswise ties encompassing said stack, said crosswise ties being outside said lengthwise ties at each of their intersections and intersecting the latter in spaces separating successive skids.

2. A shipping package of metal sheets comprising a stack of superposed co-extensive sheets, a plurality of spaced short length wood skids arranged in spaced aligned rows on which said stack rests, lengthwise metal ties encompassing said stack and said skids lengthwise of the latter, and crosswise metal ties encompassing said stack, said crosswise ties being outside said lengthwise ties at each of their intersections and intersecting the latter in spaces separating successive skids, said lengthwise ties and said crosswise ties tensioning each other.

3. A shipping package of metal sheets comprising a stack of superposed co-extensive sheets, a, plurality of spaced short length wood skids arranged in two spaced aligned rows of three each on which said stack rests, a pair of lengthwise metal ties encompassing said stack and said skids lengthwise of the latter, fastening means fixing said ties to said skids, and a pair of crosswise metal ties encompassing said stack, said crosswise ties being outside said lengthwise ties at each of their intersections and intersecting the latter in spaces separating successive skids, said lengthwise ties and said crosswise ties tensioning each other.

4. A shipping package of metal sheets comprising a stack of superposed co-extensive sheets, a plurality of spaced short length skids of moisture-sealed wood arranged in two spaced aligned rows of three each and having lengthwise grooves in their underfaces, said stack resting on said skids, a pair of lengthwis metal straps encompassing said stack and said skids through said lengthwise grooves, fastening means fixing said straps to said skids, and a pair of crosswise metal straps encompassing said stack, said crosswise straps being outside said lengthwise straps at each of their intersections and intersecting the latter in spaces separating successive skids, said lengthwise straps and said crosswise straps tensioning each other.

5. A shipping package of metal sheets comprising a stack of superposed co-extensive sheets, a plurality of substantially identical, spaced, short length wood skids arranged in spaced aligned rows on which said stack rests, the bottom end edges of said skids being beveled and the outer end faces of the end skids in each row being substantially in line with the adjacent end of said stack, lengthwise metal ties encompassing said stack and said skids lengthwise of the latter, and crosswise metal ties encompassing said stack outside said lengthwise ties and intersecting the latter in spaces separating successive skids, said lengthwise ties and said crosswise ties tensioning each other.

6. A shipping package of metal sheets comprising a stack of superposed co-extensive sheets, a plurality of substantially identical, spaced, short length wood skids arranged in spaced aligned rows on which said stack rests, the bottom end edges of said skids being beveled and the outer end faces of the end skids in each row being substantially in line with the adjacent end of said stack, lengthwise metal ties encompassing said stack and said skids lengthwise of the latter, fastening means fixing said lengthwise ties to said skids, and crosswise metal ties encompassing said stack outside said lengthwise ties and intersecting the latter in spaces separating successive skids, said lengthwise ties and said crosswise ties tensioning each other.

ROLF O; HAMMER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,638,563 Carruth et al Aug. 9, 1927 1,988,513 Ricketts et a1. Jan. 2 1935 2,029,983 Burke Feb.'4, 1936 2,064,383 Porter Dec. 15, 1936 

1. A SHIPPING PACKAGE OF METAL SHEETS COMPRISING A STACK OF SUPERPOSED CO-EXTENSIVE SHEETS, A PLURALITY OF ALIGNED ROWS OF SPACED SHORT LENGTH SKIDS ON WHICH SAID STACK RESTS, LENGTHWISE TIES ENCOMPASSING SAID STACK AND SAID SKIDS LENGTHWISE OF THE LATTER, AND CROSSWISE TIES ENCOMPASSING SAID STACK, SAID CROSSWISE TIES BEING OUTSIDE 